Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, February 27. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel.
09.02.2024 - 12:58 / skift.com / North Africa
Morocco’s annual trade deficit contracted by 7.3% to 286 billion dirhams ($28.6 billion) in 2023, helped by a drop in energy imports and higher tourism revenue, the foreign exchange regulator said in a monthly report.
Imports fell 2.5% from a year earlier to 715 billion dirhams, while exports increased by 0.2% to 429 billion dirhams, the regulator said, adding that remittances from Moroccans abroad and automotive industry exports also helped to improve the trade deficit.
Morocco’s energy imports dropped 20.4% to 122 billion dirhams after a drop both in demand and prices in the international market.
Wheat imports stood at 19.3 billion dirhams, down 25.3%, while ammoniac imports – key for fertiliser production – fell by 58% to 8.8 billion dirhams.
Morocco, which has the world’s largest phosphate reserves, reported a 34% decrease in exports of the mineral and its derivatives, including fertilisers, to 76 billion dirhams.
Home to Stellantis and Renault production plants, Morocco reported a more than 27% gain in automotive sector exports to a record 141 billion dirhams.
Tourism revenue also scaled new peaks, jumping 11.7% to 104 billion dirhams from a record 14.5 million visitors to the country last year.
Key to Morocco’s inflow of hard currency, remittances from Moroccans abroad reached a record 115 billion dirhams, up 4% from 2022.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, February 27. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel.
Heavy rainfall created a temporary lake in Death Valley National Park, one of Earth's driest locations, prompting travelers to take a potentially once-in-a-lifetime swim.
In an extraordinary display of the strength of our country’s tourism sector, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation is proud to announce record-breaking visitor arrivals for 2023, which exceeded the forecasted projections. Surpassing all previous records, the nation welcomed a total of 9,654,838 visitors in 2023, marking a historic milestone in its journey as a leading global tourism destination. This figure represents a 38% increase over 2022 and a 33% increase compared to the previous 2019 record.
In December, I booked a last-minute tour to Morocco for myself and two of my children.
The Omani city of Sur, nestled along the Arabian Sea, has been selected as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2024. Two hours away from the country’s capital, Muscat, Sur is a coastal gem known for its rich history and culture, traditional architecture and warm hospitality. As the Arab Tourism Capital for 2024, Sur stands as a testament to Oman’s commitment to preserving its heritage. The city was selected following several criteria such as the availability of infrastructure and tourism resources, the diversity of tourism activities and policies for preserving the environment.
Inclusive Morocco, the first LGBTQ-founded and led luxury travel company in Morocco is proud to share its suggestions for celebrating International Women’s Day with substance this year, thanks to their support of female communities across Morocco. From artisanal collectives to female-led workshops and social enterprises, support for women threads through all of Inclusive Morocco’s trips and itineraries. Here, they have picked out their top choices for supporting and celebrating women across Morocco.
The Secretary-General of UN Tourism has concluded an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Shannon Airport had a strong growth surge in 2023 with 1.958 million passengers welcomed to the airport, a 29 per cent increase on 2022 activity. This strong performance saw the airport achieve its highest passenger numbers since 2009, 14 years ago, with growth in air services across all markets.
New data showed that travel agencies in the United States set a new record in January for air ticket sales.
U.S. travel agencies logged a record January for air ticket sales, according to ARC.
It is the second consecutive record-breaking month for the airport, which also had its busiest December yet.
Marriott reported financial results on Tuesday that underscored how the hotel giant has continued to benefit from resilient travel demand despite economic uncertainty in many regions.